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Thursday 9th February 2012

Top News
The government Wednesday announced that "further investment cannot be justified at this time" to help LightSquared gain approval for its wireless broadband system and new GPS standards may be coming, Inside GNSS reported. LightSquared on Tuesday had asked the FCC to create technical standards that could protect GPS receivers from interference in the case that neighboring spectrums, such as those eyed by LightSquared, were utilized. And there may be some movement in that direction, perhaps not in the way LightSquared had hoped.
Feb 8, 11:37pm UTC

More News
Long term funding has finally returned to the FAA after a half-decade hiatus, and the bill will fund system upgrades, initiate a pathway for domestic drone use, and also address a key sticking point -- rules that affect pilot unions.
Feb 9, 1:04am UTC
Four nominees were named last week by the National Aeronautic Association for the 2011 Robert J. Collier Trophy, which honors the "greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America."
Feb 7, 9:12pm UTC
A Virgin Australia pilot is suing the airline for almost $1 million, claiming he hurt his back hoisting a flight bag stuffed with 40 pounds of charts and manuals. David Kloster, 57, says it never would have happened if the airline had given him an iPad instead.
Feb 7, 9:46pm UTC
A plan to fly to 120,000 feet in a helium balloon then parachute back to Earth is back on schedule this week after a long hiatus, Red Bull said on Tuesday.
Feb 7, 1:09pm UTC
Operation Migration (OM) has leapt to the defense of the FAA in light of the recent controversy over the use of allegedly paid pilots in the well-known aircraft-led migration of whooping cranes to Florida.
Feb 5, 7:04pm UTC
Hollywood's aviation films often prove disappointing to aviators, but another one now in the works, starring Denzel Washington, provides a fresh chance to see if Hollywood can portray the life of a pilot in a way that rings true.
Feb 6, 7:47pm UTC
 
AOPA and EAA are on track to submit a request to the FAA within the next one to two months, asking the agency to allow more pilots to fly without a medical certificate, AOPA said this week.
Feb 8, 3:46am UTC
Cessna has increased the range of its new Latitude midsize business jet, leaving little doubt the new aircraft is a direct response to Embraer's entry to that market.
Feb 7, 8:24pm UTC
Hawker Beechcraft's board of directors has named high-profile corporate fix-it man Steve Miller as new CEO of Hawker Beechcraft Inc., shifting former CEO Bill Boisture to the role of chairman of the company's operating subsidiary Hawker Beechcraft Corp.
Feb 7, 6:37pm UTC
A Cessna 172 that was stolen in Concord, Calif., over the weekend, crashed Sunday afternoon near Fresno, killing the person at the controls, who NTSB investigators said was not certified to fly the airplane.
Feb 7, 2:56pm UTC
The FAA's next major rulemaking effort may reflect a shift in agency standards that could hobble one emerging sector and set the tone for the rest of the industry, according to a Washington-based consultant.
Feb 5, 10:23pm UTC
Nearly 10,000 of the Air Force's active National Guard and Reserve airmen would be cut next year if plans detailed Friday by the Air Force go into effect.
Feb 4, 7:37am UTC

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Features & Columns

Letter of the Week: In Defense of the FAA

It is in the nature of pilots to complain about the FAA and the news about the temporary grounding of Operation Migration's aircraft, and its migrating whooping cranes in December sparked some strident criticism of the agency from pilots. As a member of the board of directors of Operation Migration (OM), an EAA member, and a private pilot, I'd like to set the record straight.

FAA officials were not the bad guys in this affair — far from it. They have long recognized the value and the uniqueness of what OM is doing for an endangered species and the high standards of safety that we have maintained in our flight operations.

...

For the birds,
David Sakrison

Click through to read the full text of our "Letter of the Week" — and other notes from AVweb readers.

Brainteasers It's not just how well you fly that makes you a great pilot. How good you look in flight also matters. Which airplane do you think is the most beautiful?

Take the quiz.
Finally joining the Air Force's Strategic Air Command, Dick Taylor and his wife move to Florida, and Dick begins training in air-refueling techniques in the KC-97 Stratotanker.
 
This week's winning photo comes from Craig Morris of Hoveton, Norfolk (U.K.). Click here for the rest of this week's submissions.
This week's winning photo comes from Dan Gay of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (UK). Click here for the rest of this week's submissions.
This week's winning photo comes from Daniel Valovich of Hot Springs, AR. Click here for the rest of this week's submissions.
This week's winning photo comes from Vincent Calio of Oxford, CT. Click here for the rest of this week's submissions.

FULL INDEX OF FEATURES Browse Our Features Archive
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Podcasts and Video
podcasts sponsored by Bose Corporation
As the FAA works on rulemaking to allow the integration of unmanned aerial systems into the national airspace system, there are signs that the agency has significantly ramped up the safety requirements for this brand-new aviation sector. Aviation consultant Gary Church discussed the issues and their potential effect with AVweb's Russ Niles.
When a Mooney pilot got into trouble last December, stuck above the clouds and running out of fuel, controllers at the Seattle tracon helped him to a safe landing. In this podcast, AVweb's Mary Grady takes you through the audio tape of the event, which won the controllers an Archie League Award this week from NATCA.
Jeff Skiles, known as the first officer for the "Miracle on the Hudson" flight, served as co-chair of EAA's Young Eagles program for a couple of years, and now he's signed on with EAA as vice president of chapters and youth education. He spoke with AVweb's Mary Grady about the new Eagle Flight program for adults, some expanded youth programs in the works, and EAA's global future.
The Light Sport sector has been around for seven years and is earning a respected place in the general aviation industry according to Dan Johnson, president of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA). He spoke with AVweb's Russ Niles at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida.
The sudden departure of FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt has thrown a wrench into EAA and AOPA's proposal for a waiver of medical requirements for those who fly certain aircraft day VFR. AOPA President Craig Fuller spoke with AVweb's Russ Niles at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida.
The LSA market doesn't lack for choice, and walking the line at Sebring, one show-goer told us they sort of all look alike. With a few exceptions, that's probably true. But one that definitely doesn't look like the rest is The Sam from Haim Aviation. It's a fast-build E-LSA kit powered by a Rotax that has a funky 1930s retro look, complete with a greenhouse canopy and art deco wheel pants. In this podcast, Haim's Thierry Zibi gave us the rundown on this new project.
 
A practical flying car with everyman usability has so far eluded the public, but we may have already been introduced to a design that could lead to a breakthrough. Some of the major challenges of producing a point-to-point simple and safe to operate vehicle are technological in nature. Autonomous navigation (enter the destination, press a button, and allow the vehicle to navigate, communicate with, and autonomously avoid other aircraft) may be one key to safely organizing masses of flying vehicles in the same airspace. And as society progresses, the gap between the dream and reality may be shrinking.
There's a new eye in the sky over Tulsa these days, and it's keeping an eye on things for the local sheriff's office for about 10 percent of the cost of a helicopter. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with Roger Crow of Echo Flight Resources about the Flight Design CTLE law-enforcement platform based on a light sport aircraft.
One of the most popular kitbuilt light sport aircraft is the Vans RV-12. Ken Scott took AVweb through the airplane at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida.
The common wisdom in aviation is that air conditioning is heavy. Corbi Aviation has proven that effective air conditioning can come in a package that's light enough (22-35 pounds, depending on application) to use in light sport aircraft. The system was on display at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida.
Most light sport aircraft are made in Eastern Europe, but there's a slight trend to bring these airplanes to the U.S. for manufacture. One of the companies at the fore of that trend is Allegro. At the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, AVweb talked to the company about its plans.
One thing the light sport aircraft industry doesn't have much of is biplanes and aerobats. But the F12 Comet is both. At the Sport Aivation Expo in Sebring, AVweb talked to Mike Hansen of Hansen Air Group about this German-designed East European import. Besides being the rare aerobatic LSA, it will soon be getting Lycoming's new AEIO-233, a fully aerobatic powerplant.
The Renegade Falcon LS is one of the first airplanes to have Lycoming's new IO-233 light sport engine. AVweb's Paul Bertorelli took the airplane for a flight trial recently.

FULL INDEX OF PODCASTS Find All Podcasts Of Interest

AVwebBiz: AVweb's Business Aviation Newsletter
Delivered every Wednesday morning, AVwebBiz focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the business aviation industry, making it a must-read.

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Jan 1, 10:14pm UTC

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Who's Where
Heidi WilliamsCraig Spence
Heidi Williams is the new Vice President of Air Traffic Services and Modernization. Craig Spence is Vice President of Operations and International Affairs.

Feb 8, 6:26am UTC

FULL INDEX OF WHO'S WHERE STORIES Find Past Who's Where Stories Of Interest

VIDEO


Where's My Flying Car?

No video? Direct link here.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Are there circumstances where pilots should face criminal action?

A New Hampshire pilot is facing manslaughter charges in the death of his daughter after the twin he was flying without a multi-endorsement crashed in Massachusetts.


Share your Opinion »

PILOT RESOURCES

FBO OF THE WEEK

AVweb's newest "FBO of the Week" is Golden Eagle Aviation at Moton Field Municipal Airport (06A) in Tuskegee, Alabama. Reader Billy Tyndall tells us how an unplanned stopover made Golden Eagle a standard by which other FBOs are measured:

On a cross-country flight in my Sport Cub from North Carolina to Arizona, I encountered adverse weather and landed at Moton Field Municipal Airport in Tuskegee, Alabama to wait it out. The rain which arrived took three days to pass, and during that time the staff at Golden Eagle Aviation made those days the most enjoyable of the trip. Sylvester and Minnie run the FBO with such personality and warmth that transient pilots immediately feel at home. They helped us with the standard FBO offerings, such as avgas, computer access, and coffee, and went further to see that we found the cultural and culinary assests of Tuskegee, which were many. When it was time to leave, Sylvester improvised an apparatus to preheat the cold engine in the Cub, even though the climate in Tuskegee doesn't normally require preheating engines. He went the extra mile to get us back in the air, and we'll remember his FBO for their caring actions!

Keep those nominations coming. For complete contest rules, click here.

AVweb is actively seeking out the best FBOs in the country and another one, submitted by you, will be spotlighted here next Monday!

Nominate an FBO »

SHORT FINAL...

Years ago, I had an interesting ATC encounter in Washington airspace that I think would be humorous to your readers of "Short Final." While flying my RV-4 in the narrow VFR slot between the old Washington ADIZ and the expanded Camp David TFR, I lost my GPS. Without a VOR, I contacted Wash. Center. The call went as follows:

N1234 (me):
"Washington Center, N1234."

Center:
"N1234, go ahead."

N1234:
"I've lost all nav aids over Frederick, and I'm concerned that I will violate airspace and cause a little excitement. Please give me vectors to keep me out of trouble."

Center:
"No worries. Everyone is targeting you."

Bruce MacInnes
via e-mail

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